ORIGIN OF THE STRIKE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1940, 24 December 1913, Page 15

ORIGIN OF THE STRIKE.

RECITAL OF EVENTS

THE SHIPWRIGHTS' TKOUBLIi.

AND HOW IT WAS FOMENTED,

The Wellington shipwrights, by- 1 reason of the fnct that their employment was lor many years of ;i o;u,ual ehiiracter, liavo been in receipt- of tin; highest rate of wages paid to shipwrights throughout New Zealand, viz., Is. (Id. per hour for ordinary tiuie, while the shipwrights in Auckfuiid have been receiving only Is. 3d. per hour. The pavmenfc of Is. Gd. tin hour to the Wellington men was continued even alter it bocamo; of a more permanent nature than had formerly been the ease. Up till the time when tlte Union Steam Ship Company transferred their workshop staff from Victoria Street Wellington to their new site at Evans Bay, it had been customary to provide a conveyance, or pay travelling time, to those shipwrights who happened to ha detailed to proceed from til© Citv to undertake work at the sh'p. A change camo when the new workshops at Evans Bay were completed. These were then deemed to be the "plaee of business" of the company as far as its workshop staff was concerned, and it wiis accordingly decided that, for the future, tlieue workshops would bo regarded as) the place of engagement. This brougltt the company into line with other "largo manufacturing interests whose premises were situated beyond tlio confines of the City proper, and who neither pa.v travelling time nor provide conveyances for their workers. The First Small Cloud. On March 19 the shipwrights wrote to the employers objecting-to the new arrangement. In reply the Shipwrights' Union advised that the employers were prepared 'to_ continue the allowance for travelling time, or, in the alternative, provide freo conveyance subject to the following conditions:— If tho member was employed at Evans Bay works for a minimum period i ,? ' VS ally 6110 ho should not be entitled to travelling time or free conveyance. Any worker who was told on the previous day that he was required for work at Evans Bay on the following day, should not be entitled to travelling .timo or free conveyance. Any worker who resided within two milos of tho Evans Bay works should not, in any case, l)e entitled to travelling allowance or free conveyance.

Enter —Tlia Waterside Influence, On April 29 tho Shipwrights' Union replied claiming payment for travelling in accordance with the agreement previously in _ existcncc, and two days later, tho union cancelled its registration under tlio Industrial fconci'iaHon and Arbitration Apt and joined the Waterside Workers' Union. Ail effort was thou mndq by tlie emto induce sirv members of the iShipw rights' Union, who had been regular employees of th© Union Steam Ship Uimpany, to join tho permanent staff ot the company on a basis of Is. C«l. an hour wlucli was cmiivalent to £3 7s per week of 45} hours. Ordinary staff privileges wcro also included in the oiler. This was declined .bv the men. and matters remained as- they wero till iV'f 31 .. when claims were made by tho Uatcrsido Workers' Union, on behalf of'tlio shipwrights,,.for si'drastic alteration m the rato of'wages'-and conditions or employment. Tho demands wcro lor an increase from tho ruling rato of. wages (Is. 6d.) to Is. Oil. per hour and overtime ranging from 2s. 9d. to 2s. lid. per hour, together with.other concessions m tho working clauses. .)' these claims were under coiisicleiation, Waterside Workers' Union committee asked tho employers to , t ' lcw iu conference. On August 18 the employers replied, asking under what clause in tit© agreement then existing between tiwm and the uatersiders, the latter had advanced tlie claim of tile shipwrights. It was pointed out that the agreement stated specifically that it only bore reference to tho ''wages and conditions of employment of wharf labour." Tho employers therefore hold that a skilled tratio such as that of tho shipwrights could not be included in the. agreement On August 20 a letter was forwarded

to the employers' by the Waterside Onion, 111 which it w;is: intimated that tlio shipwrights had been admitted as members of the Waterside Workers' Union. It was further stated that the union would now only meet tlio employers as a distinct branch of it, and also that tlio watcrsiders would stand by tlio shipwrights in the event of trouble arising. The cmplovers replied to tlio effect that the shipwrights were as much outsido tho scopo of tho ivatorsiders 1 agreement as tlio painters and decorators, carpenters, and other skill- 1 jjjl trades concerned with ship rcpnirs. Iho letter also stated that the employers were, however, quito willing to meet uio shipwrights as a separate badvEmployers' Efforts for Pcaca. On September 8 tho shipwrights, accompanied by tlie secretary of the waterside 'Workers' Union, waited bv appointment on tho employers, but the latter body declined to discuss tlio matter with, a representative of tho AVat-or-sido Union present. The deputation then retired, but, subsequently, tho nlupwijghts returned without tlie watersider's secretary. They then admit-' ted that tho attitudo adonted by the employers in asking to meet the shipwrights only was justified. The claims of tho shipwrights wore then discussod, and .an undertaking was made that due consideration would bo given to tiulr demands, and also that a reply would be sent at a later date. On September 80 counter-proposals were submitted bv the employers, intimating, inter. aba, [ that tbey were willing to grant an increase from Is. (3d. to Is. 7d. per hour and other concessions. ■

On October 4 tho shipwrights replied to tho effect tliat tho terms offered were not satisfactory to them, and a request v/as made for another conference. -..At tho same timo the men intimated that the employers would have to recognise tho shipwrights as a branch of:the 1 Waterside "Workers' Union, awl.aisi that any deputation ' to '■ ths employers must include tho secretory of the 'Wellington branch 1 of I ha Waterside Union. The employers ■ dp. cidcd to accede to the latter stipulation, and, live days liter, they receivod a communication from, tho secretory asking them to receive a deputation from each department of the" union., Tito deputation was recfrivrd on October 10, and the position of the shipwrights, in relation to the waterside workers, was fully discussed. ''"be result.-.was that the emnlovers adhered In flr-ir original d"eisio,n" to deal wilh tlw> shipwrights' Union only. Oil the sune day the latter body asked the- pyjiplovcr; to receive a deputation from them as shipwrights only. Tli.< conferenrs "• tn:\k place on October 18, and the whole situation was fully discussed. At ih" conclusion of t!m nicotine; Hie omployers' gathered the impression that there wasvery little difTerence existin;; between them and the shipwrights, and ii was thought that the whole matter would, he amicablv and easily adjusted at the next conference between the parties.. The Cloud crows . Later in the day, however, the'secretary of the Waterside Union wrote to tho employers indicating that-tliHSof-fer of no incrcnso in wn,f:c."! ironi -ls- o'l.' to Is. ?tl. au how aud oouceesiono £in

„r l,< ~ ,,. t ' l J ".'fi t/mo lifiil been' roI '• I , ■l-ji.ifkisetl-. in-, this letter'were re- |• \ 'sort..demands,- based 01;.. lin-osi at' the--8'!-: «»>«r ordinary lini'. Laml monim,. ranging Irons. 2s. Sd, to kw„- working €"H sps.. ~.. Ir . , lottor received'-<m th« \vT S i 0 n . rltla -Vii< Oi'tobcr- ir/.tiie V ..tfl.sido ■. tmoil? intimated that'-: the | "test (ieniaiuis were 1 th:' i i.''i!„a|!s "and .bediock claims "j-ol ■ the shipwrights'■' 'I repiy was demanded i.v r, p.m.-'of.-that .(•ay, -Ins reason;' beiii»{:,that l|.e shmw lights eoiild'tiu'-ii .]ie./advise() r ;.w]ietiii'i' or not' tiioy. should,.work; on :the. Saturday Tits Storm Bursts. ''• - ni'i 1S r4 °' l 0 employers was brief. J hey stated that thev were unable to entertain the claims.' At tho samo ■ , no j!" WU3 intimated to tho Waterside Workers' Ui.iiau that, if the threat contained in their letter of August 20 (tjiut ihey would ''stand !j v the Wrights in ■ the ■ event of trmiblo arising' ) was carried. into effcet, and if any stoppage or interference with the work of the Employers', vessels ocourrea such action would ho regarded as a. flagrant, breach of Clause 28 of tho agreement then existing between the waterside workers and tlio Shipowners' Federation.

'■ This reply was submitted to a special meeting of the union on Monday. October 20, and it was decided that the now notorious "stop-work" meeting would be held on Wednesday, October 22, to consider the "shipwrights' grievances as (so it was put to tho men) the chairman o£ tlio local Disputes' Committee of the Shipowners' Federation had declined to call tho latter body together to d<;al with the dispute."

Om October 21 the employora ecut a reply to the effect that, as tho claims of tho shipwrights did not in any way came within tlio scop® of tho agreement. which referred only to "matters arising out of or connected with the agreement)" tlio functions of the local committee provided for under Clause 23 did not apply. Then followed the "stop-work" meeting on _ tlio morning of October 22 and the strike.